Decisions of the Devious
by minie moo luvs u
Summary: okay, this is a reupload of the one I deleted before :/ *facepalms self*
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Well my lovelies, here's another story. Never done a PL one before though, so bear with me. As always, constructive criticism much appreciated! Enjoy :P**

**Oh and P.S. Flora POV **

I was hot.

I hated being hot.

Why where we on this beach anyway? I hate beaches!

Though of course it was this or be left in the hotel to knit. Um, no thank you.

It was our first holiday to the seaside, with me, Luke, and the Professor. Luke begged to go to the sea and absolutely would not accept compromise, so we all packed our bathing suits and set off for the crowded, smelly, hot, beach near the city.

Oh yay.

I was yet to find a single good thing about the beach, even though the Professor was trying to make me more optimistic.

"Do cheer up, Flora. The sea isn't that bad. I suppose." He said.

Something told me that the Professor was as sick of getting ice cream spilt on the blanket as I was.

"Professor! Professor, look!" Luke's words tripped over each other in his attempt to get them all out.

"What is it, my boy?" asked the Professor, slightly disinterested.

"A note! It was stuck on my notebook!"

"Oh?"

_Meet me at the old bridge. - Clive _

"What? Clive?" Luke shouted.

"No! Professor, I won't go!" I said, staunchly refusing to acknowledge Clive's existence.

" Flora. I understand your prejudice. But a true gentleman never ignores another's requests." He stated calmly.

So, of course, we set off to the old bridge on the outskirts of the city. We didn't walk for very long, seeing as the beach was close to the bridge anyway. Luke, even though he was now thirteen, still tripped over his feet in attempts to walk like the professor. Me, now fifteen, walked the same as always… barely fast enough to keep up. My thoughts drifted to Clive, and how he must have been freed of his jail sentence early. In fact, I remembered reading in the papers. I snapped out of my reverie to find that I'd fallen several metres behind Luke and the Professor.

We slowed to a stop at the old bridge. It was, in fact, older than I'd expected it to be, and it seemed that if I stepped on it, it might nearly bring the whole bridge crumbling. I decided to hide behind the professor for the moment.

I felt something grab my shoulder and I let out a scream to wake the dead.

"Uh… Boo?" Said Clive.

" Don't touch me." I almost hissed. I backed way behind the professor again.

"Haven't changed a bit, I see, Flora. Professor, glad you could make it."

"What's this all about, Clive?" Asked the Professor.

I couldn't help noticing that, even for an evil mastermind, Clive was rather excessively handsome.

" I require your assistance, Professor. This time for a legitimate cause. You see, I recently uncovered a document that could lead me to uncovering one of the biggest crime groups in London. And, as you hopefully could tell from our little visits in prison, I have decided to use my energy for good instead of… less savoury pastimes."

"I don't know wether or not I can trust you, Clive."

"Maybe that is a risk you will have to take."

The Professor deliberated for a moment. He tipped the brim of his hat.

" My expertise is at your disposal, then."

" Excellent. Hopefully this time the adventure shall not involve any kidnapping or giant smashing robots." Clive smirked. He ran a hand through his hair, embarrassed.

"Yes, Hopefully not." I said, my voice unusually cold.

"Now Flora…" Warned the Professor.

"We'll have to hurry. I wouldn't want to lose this lead, and the next train for London leaves in half an hour. Get your things and let's go."

…...

I awoke on the train, my head leaning against the carriage window. It was a fancy train, with embroidered gold curtains and red velvet everywhere. It hurt my eyes to look at it.

"P-professor…?" I said uncertainly.

I received no reply. I looked up from the window to look around the carriage, and found it empty. I rested my head back against the window.

"Finally awake?" called a voice from the doorway.

Clive.

"Go away." I groaned.

"I do believe this is my carriage too, you know. We're sharing."

"What?" I snapped my head up. "What was the Professor thinking?"

"you can say that again." said Clive.

"Don't you start with me, Clive. I'll make your life miserable."

"Aren't we feisty today? Not enough sleep? Poor little kid."

"Shut up!"

"You two! You're like a couple of wild animals!" The Professor exclaimed from the doorway.

"He started it." I pouted.

**Sooooooo waddaya think? Sorry if it's too short or dry or boring, but nothing really interesting has happened yet. It will though ;) As always, tell me if you loved it, hated it, or hated it so much you wanted to burn down my house and dance on my grave. Probably the last one.**

**Toodles! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**OKEYDOKEYTHEN! New chappie :P enjoy!**

I looked awkwardly at Clive, sitting on the opposite side of the carriage than me. Neither of us had spoken word to each other, and I hoped to keep it that way. Although I did wish he would stop looking at me. I mean, it wasn't like I had horns or anything.

"Flora?" said Clive quietly.

I sighed. "Yes, Clive?"

"There's a spider on your head."

I screamed and jumped from my seat, only to discover that there was no spider.

"You awful boy!" I yelled at him, while he was crying with laughter.

"Excuse me…ahahahaha….but I think you'll find that… HAHAH….I'm no boy anymore!" he gasped through hoots of laughter.

"humph."

I sat and glared at him for a while. He eventually calmed his clown act and looked at my expression.

"Come on, Flora. It was just a bit of fun." he said apologetically.

"Fun for you, maybe."

"Yes, lots!"

An awkward silence followed. The doors rolled open and a waiter stepped in to take our breakfast orders.

"What will it be miss?" he asked.

"Tea, please. Lots of sugar."

"And for your partner?"

"O-oh, he's not my…"

"The same, thank you." Clive piped.

I glared at him. Wonderful, now the staff think we're together. The waiter nodded and scurried out of the room.

"Clive!" I whisper-screamed, in case anyone was sleeping.

"What? I'm sure you could do worse than me." Clive smirked.

"Oh yes, like a man who _doesn't_ stick me in a glass cage in a giant robot. It's _so_ hard for a lady to find a decent man these days." I said sarcastically.

Clive looked away, out the window. He didn't look pleased.

Ha!

A few more hours passed, and having nothing to do but torment me, which got boring after a while, thank god, Clive fell asleep.

I peeked through the curtains. He night sky was brilliant tonight, dotted with stars like diamonds. The moon was hidden out of sight by the windowsill, so I decided to sneak out to the back viewing deck to try and get a better view.

My feet where bare as I slipped open the door and quietly closed it behind myself. I snuck along the corridor to the back carriage, and opened the door onto the viewing deck.

The wind whipped my hair around my head. I walked over to the railing and leant against it, leaning over. It made me almost dizzy to see how fast the train was going. I took a deep breath to keep myself from fainting.

The style of the railing reminded me of the railing of my balcony at the tower in St. Mystere. My mind leapt to my robot friends, my late mother, my ever-absent father…

I internally reprimanded myself. I came here to see the moon, didn't I?

"Isn't it a little late for a child to be awake?" A voice said from the doorway. I spun on my heel, and in doing so very nearly tripped off the deck.

"I thought you where asleep, Clive. And I'm not a child."

Clive was leaning on the doorpost. Smirking, as always.

"Sure you aren't. What are you doing out here anyway?"

"Stargazing. What did you think I was doing?" I asked, annoyed.

"You never know with your type."

"what's that supposed to mean?"

Clive said nothing. He walked up and leant on the railing like me.

"Lovely night, isn't it?" He said, changing the subject.

"uh… yes, it is."

"Flora, I really would like to apologize for the whole debacle a couple of years back. I was really insane."

"… It's okay Clive. Really, I wasn't hurt or anything."

He glanced at me for the first time. I could see the trials he had been through the in last few years reflected in his eyes. They where wet with what looked like tears.

"Are… are you crying?"

"What? No! how ridiculous…" He said, turning his head.

"Clive…"

I reached out a hand to comfort him, and paused in midair. I hovered, deliberating for a moment.

I let my hand rest lightly on his shoulder.

Clive didn't move, but he relaxed the slightest bit.

"Please, Flora. I don't deserve sympathy."

"Nonsense." I whispered.

I gave him a slight hug. "Let's get back to the carriage then, I think I need to sleep."

"Of course." Clive said. He straightened up his jacket and started towards the door.

"Flora? Are you coming?"

I was feeling a bit awkward, and I supposed I had forgotten to walk.

"Oh. Yes." I said.

…...

"Professor? I need help with this puzzle." Luke said to the Professor, back at the train station. Our train had come in an hour early, and so we where waiting for a taxi to take us back to the Professor's house.

"One moment, Luke. Chocolate or strawberry, Clive?"

"Err.. For what?" Clive asked.

"Ice cream, of course!" the Professor laughed. He handed back three ice creams to me, Luke and Clive.

"I haven't had ice cream for years, sir."

"How can you survive?" exclaimed Luke, genuinely surprised. We all laughed at his enthusiasm.

Clive ended up taking the peppermint, taking a huge mouthful.

"uh…maybe that's not…" the Professor started, too late already.

Clive made a face and uttered a word I would rather not have heard.

"That is quite cold." Clive said after recovering from his brain freeze.

"Hence the word 'ice'" I stated.

"I do believe we are getting a little off track here. We should head back to my flat."

"But of course. We may not have much time." the Professor said, paying the ice-cream man.

We wound through the endless maze of alleyways and streets that was London and finally arrived at a rather nice block of flats near a public park.

"Yes, this is it. Rather impressive, eh?" bragged Clive.

We stepped inside the foyer of the building and stepped into a fancy elevator. I hated elevators, they made me feel awfully sick to my stomach.

"Are you quite alright Flora? You look rather green…" Clive said uncertainly.

I leaned against the Professor's arm, about to fall over.

"Perhaps the stairs next time, eh Flora?" Said Luke.

I concentrated on breathing while the elevator took it's own sweet time getting to the top floor. The bell dinged and we clambered out, me being the first out to the hallway.

"This way." said Clive, as we followed him down a long hallway to his rooms at the end of the building.

We all stepped inside the dark flat and Clive immediately locked all the doors and windows, pulling the curtains.

"What I am about to show you almost got the man who owned it before me killed. It is an extremely dangerous thing to have." Clive said in a low voice.

He slowly opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a small notepad. It's pages where covered in scribbles and numbers in a seemingly random pattern. He showed it to the professor.

"From what I make of it, this seems to be a puzzle." He said after a moment's deliberation.

"That's precisely what I thought of it. Which is why I needed you here to help me. I've thought about it for hours on end, almost to the brink of insanity. I just can't get it." Clive agreed.

The Professor closed his eyes in thought for a while. He thought for a good ten minutes, until he finally opened his eyes.

"I do think I've got it. Clive, do you know of the abandoned underground railway?"

"Of course, Professor. Near the bookstore."

"If my intuition is correct…"

"Which it always is!" interrupted Luke.

"…We should head there as our first step. It seems to be what this puzzle is saying."

"What are we waiting for, then? We should hurry." said Clive.

"Will it be dark, Professor? I hate the dark…" I asked, worried.

"Don't worry, Flora. I'll protect you." assured Clive with a wink.

I strangely felt the slightest bit safer.

But…. Why?

**Well, well, well, another chapter finites. Hope you likey : ) **

**R&R my lovelies, there's cookies :P**


	3. Chapter 3

**Yes, another one. I'm hopefully gonna do one a day till It's done : ) Enjoy!**

Okay, we were lost.1

It's not my fault! Clive insisted on splitting into groups. Clive and I, the Professor and Luke.

Clive was in front of me as we wandered through the pitch-black tunnels meant for the trains. It wasn't as scary with Clive there, probably because he kept cracking jokes so I wouldn't panic. Which was, you know, nice of him.

"You've changed a lot in the past few years, Clive. For the better, I'd like to say." I said.

"Thank you. You've… well, not changed at all." He said, laughing. I laughed too, considering that it was true.

Clive sighed. "I really think we're lost now. We passed that rotten apple a few times now." He dropped his torch and sat down. I half-sat next to him, worried about my dress getting dirty. I gave up and just sat down.

"I wonder wether or not the Professor will find us before we die." He said.

"What?"

"Kidding, Flora!"

"O-oh."

An awkward silence followed, and a blast of chilly air came in from the manhole above us, just out of reach. I shivered, and Clive noticed.

"Are you cold?"

"uh…no…" I lied.

"Liar." he smiled, giving me his coat. It was warm, and smelled like a strange kind of fruity smell.

After a moment, I leant my head on his shoulder, and I was surprised when he didn't react except for shifting his arm to make it more comfortable.

"Clive…" I whispered. I turned my head up to look at him, and saw that he was looking back. I looked into his eyes for a long moment, and in a second flat Clive closed the space between us. Our lips met in the sweetest kiss I'd ever had.

It ended too soon, and I pulled back to look at him.

"Why did you do that?" I asked.

"Because I wanted to." he replied. He pulled me into him.

"Flora! Clive! Are you…oh!" Luke cried.

" oh…um…" I mumbled, quickly pulling away from Clive, who was doing the same.

"Were you two cold? Flora, you should have brought a jacket!" said the Professor with a small smile playing on his lips.

"Of course, how silly of me." I said, laughing nervously.

We headed out of the underground, all of us blinking in the bright sunlight.

"It seems that this little expedition of ours was rather fruitless, unfortunately." stated the Professor.

"Oh yes, fruitless indeed." Clive said, winking at me.

_3 HOURS LATER _

I walked back from the grocers' just before dinnertime. Just like Luke to forget to buy milk.

Through the corner of my eye I saw the shadows moving, and I whipped my head around just in time to have my mouth blocked with a large hand and be thrown into the back of a van.

Oh, not cliché at all….

My hands were free, but my feet were tied with a rather uncomfortably rough rope.

"HELP" LET ME OUT OF HERE!" I screamed.

"Shut up! Or I'll just dispose of ya myself and get it over with!" yelled a voice from the front.

It wasn't long before the van screeched to a halt, throwing me around like a rag doll.

"Oooww…" I groaned.

I was blindfolded by a disgusting-looking man who hadn't showered in five weeks and led into the building.

The whole time I was thinking of Clive and wether they got him, too.

My blindfold was removed, and I saw a tall, lean man with spiked black hair standing in the corner.

"So, you and your little friends think they can try to stop my proceedings, do they?" He asked menacingly.

"Let me go! The Professor will rescue me. He'll know you did it."

"Such idle threats. He has no clue whatsoever of your whereabouts. And neither does Clive or Luke."

My face must have changed when he said that, because he looked amused.

"Maybe this will warn them to stop messing with what doesn't concern them."

He stepped out of the shadows. He was a lot younger than I expected, maybe a year older than Clive.

He motioned to two men, huge in size, who left the building, their sharp knives glinting and expressions evil.

"Don't kill all of them, now!" The man called after them.

I was frozen. Assassins? What was so important to kill innocent people over?

"Well, I imagine we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the next few weeks, so I may as well be polite and introduce myself. My name is Daniel Hill, the leader of this little crime gang. Your little friends may think they can stop me, but I have tricks. They will never pass my defences, anyway.

"You seem very sure of yourself, Mr. Hill." I replied to his blatant bragging.

"Of course. Now men, take her down to the basement. You know the rest."

I was grabbed by two other men and thrown downstairs. I was unsure of what to do, except scream for help, which would have no effect. I sat down after a while and fiddled with my locket, until a few hours later the door was unbolted and a stream of light came in. A thin figure was thrown down with me and fell onto the floor.

"Such hospitality." said a familiar voice.

"CLIVE!" I squealed, and leapt over to hug him.

"So that's where you got to Flora! We where all so worried!" he said, giving me an awkward hug back.

I examined his what appeared to be sprained ankle, binding it with a strip of blanket from the bed in the corner.

"And yet again we wait for the Professor." I sighed.

"Ah, Flora. Always so optimistic. There's a storm door they forgot to block up, I saw it on the way here. If I can unblock it from the inside…"

With these words Clive hobbled to his feet with the help of a nearby cabinet and climbed on top of a table. He stretched up on his toes, wincing from the pain of his ankle, and barely touched the deadbolt with his fingertips when half a dozen gang members burst through the door. One grabbed me and another one grabbed Clive and pulled him down by his leg. He toppled down from the table and slammed onto the ground. The gang member slammed his foot down on Clive's hurt ankle, earning a scream of pain.

"Clive! Get off him, _get off him!" _I yelled at the idiot.

I slipped from the goon's grip and ran to Clive, still on the ground.

"Clive." I whispered.

"Yes, Flora?"

I slowly leant down and kissed him with all of my emotion.

"I love you."

"I love you too." He whispered back.

"Well, well, well. Isn't young love cute? I'm afraid we must break up the party now." said Daniel, stepping into the door.

I looked up at him. He seemed to be amused at the whole situation, which I didn't take lightly.

I flung myself at him, and gave him the strongest slap I could muster. He bent over, holding his cheek.

"Solitary for the boy." He said roughly. "lock up the girl."

Clive was already being half-dragged from the room.

"I won't give up Clive! I'll get you out." I whispered. He smiled a small, sad smile.

"What did I do to deserve you, Flora?" he whispered.

"Absolutely nothing. And that's exactly why I love you." I said, kissing him one last time before he was dragged out of the room.

After he was left, I was handcuffed to the railing in the cell.

Clive POV

It was dark and I was hungry.

I briefly contemplated eating my own fingers, but I wasn't in the possession of any tomato sauce. So instead, I just thought of Flora.

At what point I Come to love her, I didn't know. But I did know that the feeling was mutual, and it wasn't going anywhere.

I scratched out a picture in the dirt with my finger. I'd been in here three days now, give or take, and wondered what was taking the professor and Luke so long. Then I realised they probably had no idea what there next lead was.

He put his head in his hands.

This was going to take a while to sort out.

**OK then : ) guys, there's a special offer on right now! Give at least ten reviews, yes ten, and you get this lovely brand-new CHAPTER! You won't find a deal like this again folks, review now ; )**


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